First time car stero change...

My 2002 Chevy s10 has all stock parts, in terms of audio. I'm looking to upgrade to something better due to blown/cheap speakers it has. Ive never done any sort of audio work on a car or truck so i know little to no information about what i need. I'm looking for someone to basically tell me what i should get and what i need. I'm looking for something affordable first, I'm not looking for something fancy or ridiculously loud. Just decent sound and affordable and honestly the less work I have to do the better due to my inexperience. I don't really have a brand preference

Thanks in advanced for any help, cheers.

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I made sure all 4 heads I compared and linked to have sub preamp outputs. Some may need to be switched from 'rear' to 'sub' in the setup menu, but they all have it. The price goes up significantly if you get a head with 6 way preouts, which I recommend getting, for future expansion, if needed. also, with 6 way preouts, you get alot more sub adjustability, usually. Things such as LPF, sub level, bass boost, phase shift, etc. I have the S/O powered 8" in the similar cab of a Ford Ranger, and I love it. Sorry, I thought your truck probably had the 4x10 speakers in the back like some GMC Sonomas of the same style. I would not worry with the 4x6's. The door speakers and the S/O sub is gonna be a huge improvement. Takes some tweaking to get just right, but I have lots of experience with it, and I'm not far away. 3 year warranty is nice, also. It should fit under your passenger seat, BTW.

GLH

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Should be a nice head. It has highpass and lowpass crossover filters, which are preferable to use over most built in filters on an amp. It has 6 way RCA preamp outputs, in case of adding on later. I think you will be happy with this purchase after everything is setup and EQ'd to your liking. You will need an RCA patch cable long enough to go from the head to the amp/sub. Shouldn't be a big deal also to run new 18 gauge speaker wire from the rear speaker outs of the new head to the new door speakers. Although Crutchfield should include the wiring harness adaptors for the head and speakers, It is highly recommended to run new wire directly from the head to the speakers. This way you can use the same lenght wire on each side, and there will be minimum splices, only at the head and at the speakers. You will need the front speaker outs from the head if you decide to install new dash speakers. It won't affect the sub out in any way. You will just adjust the fader all the way rear for now. The highpass filter works equally for the front and rear speakers. You will likely start out with the lowpass filter on 85 hz for the sub and the highpass filter at 120 hz for the door speakers. We can cover all that later.

GLH

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If you just want good sound, you don't need to spend a fortune of speakers, the TS-A or TS-G Pioneer or the Sound Ordnance ones would work well. (Avoid the 5.25-inch speakers and go with 6.5 or 6.75-inch.)

There may be 4x6 plates that will work in the dash although Crutchfield might say they won't.

Radio replacement is pretty simple in your car, but figure out what features you want in the new radio and go from there before you pick one out. I really recommend either USB or iPod support depending on which you have access to, but it's up to what you will use.

GLH

It has the extended cab (the little pullout seat behind the passenger seat) It doesn't claim to have any advanced audio equipment. I was planning on replacing everything. speakers on the doors and dash and the head unit. Having a sub was something i was unsure of to be honest.

@TigerHeli For the actually head unit i would definitely like something with an auxiliary input as well as a USB port. If such a thing exists I would like to be able to charge my ipod while it plays through the stereo.

And if it will help determine what kind of system i should be looking for, i tend to listen to a lot of heavy metal, electronic and drum and bass.

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GLH

For the actually head unit i would definitely like something with an auxiliary input as well as a USB port. If such a thing exists I would like to be able to charge my ipod while it plays through the stereo.

Most of those features are pretty common these days. You are missing some of the finer points of what you need.

Any of these decks should let you connect your iPod and select songs off the deck digitally for best SQ and would also charge the iPod while it is playing. A few of those decks will have an AUX input, which USED to be the way to listen to an iPod, but that really isn't recommended anymore (won't sound as good), and really is only needed if you have a NON-IPOD MP3 player (Sansa, Sony, Zune) (or want to be prepared if you have a friend who does). Some/most of those will have a USB port as well - which is great if you want to put a bunch of MP3's on a thumb drive, but isn't necessarily required if you have an iPod and don't mind using it. (Can be convenient to have the USB drive in the car and not have to connect/disconnect the iPod all the time). Finally, a few decks will have two USB ports or a USB port and an iPod connection so you could listen to EITHER the iPod or the USB drive without unplugging anything.

plope

And if it will help determine what kind of system i should be looking for, i tend to listen to a lot of heavy metal, electronic and drum and bass.

That is going to come down a bit to how fussy you are and how much you want to spend (and in a truck, how involved you want to be). You aren't going to really get pounding bass without adding a subwoofer to the system. Then again, it seems like you might have been happy enough with the sound of the stock system before the speakers were blown and you will have MUCH better sound than that with a new head unit and new speakers.

If that's so, do they typically just unplug them with a new system? or completely remove them?

GLH

Do you also own an iPhone 4s ? Do you play CD's or only listen to iPod ?

I dont have an iphone at all, i have a 3rd generation ipod touch i use as an MP3 player, with my current system im just using an FM transmitter and its...just awful quality.

TigerHeli

You are missing some of the finer points of what you need.

Im probable missing every finer point there is, as i said in my first post I'm completely inexperienced with audio equipment.

TigerHeli

You aren't going to really get pounding bass without adding a subwoofer
to the system. Then again, it seems like you might have been happy
enough with the sound of the stock system before the speakers were blown
and you will have MUCH better sound than that with a new head unit and
new speakers.

Understood, but I definitely wouldn't say i was happy as much I would say just "tolerated". Im just the quality will go up immensely with just the basic new system, but considering I would enjoy some heavy bass, a sub woofer sounds like a good idea.

Just to throw a number out there for a little more feed back, Id say my budget for a system is about $400, and if it would require a lot of work id probable find somewhere I could take it and have them install it.

[edited by: plope at 5:33 PM (GMT -5) on Thu, Apr 5 2012]

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Your dash speakers are connected to your front door speakers, and take power from them. Your stock system is actually a 4 speaker system, with the dash speakers tagged on. We can do less than $400 and have you a good system that is easy for you to install all by yourself.

Here are 4 heads that you might like, not sure how I weeded out JVC, but don't discount them -

Your dash speakers are connected to your front door speakers, and take power from them. Your stock system is actually a 4 speaker system, with the dash speakers tagged on.

From what I can tell, not so in this case. The only speakers in the truck are the 6.5's in the doors and the 4x6's in the dash - so in reality, the 4x6's are the front speakers and the front door speakers are the rear speakers.

If you didn't want to replace the front door speakers, you could either disconnect them or remove them, it doesn't really matter which way you do it.

GLH

Here are 4 heads that you might like, not sure how I weeded out JVC, but don't discount them

There are LOTs of HU's to choose from. Keep in mind I limited these to under $129 units. Also, your car needs about $40 of adapters to make the installation easy. Crutchfield includes those with the decks I and GLH selected, but it means most of the $70 decks won't work for you and you would end up better off spending the money that you would spend on installation hardware on a better deck and getting it free. To me the HU is the MOST critical part of the system. Don't spend $300 on it just b/c some of the HU's are that expensive, but also don't scrimp on features you would like to meet a budget target.

GLH

1 of these, bridged to the subwoofer

If you go with a subwoofer and external amp, it probably makes sense to spend another $20-$30 on a 4-channel amp and use the front channels for your 6.5's as well. (You will need a wiring kit for around $50 to install your amplifier)

I'm probably in the $500 range when you are looking at 4-speakers, decent HU, 4-channel amp and sub enclosure, but you are now looking at a VERY good system.

(You could also always do the head unit and 4 speakers now for around $250, and then decide later to spend the $300 on the subwoofer when you want more from the system).

I was going to say the same thing, there are only 4 speakers total in the truck lol....2 on the dash and 1 on each door, I assumed unplugging the speakers on the dash are what wouldn't make a difference as long as i had 3 way speakers put in on the doors

I really like that compact powered sub woofer, and i think that would be a great system along with 2 speakers for the doors (have yet to really decide on what I'm getting but i was gonna go for 3 way speakers.) my next question is if i do want a sub woofer weather it be now or later down the road dose the head unit need to have a sub pre-amp output? all four of the head units GHL linked me none of them have a sub pre-amp output.

Id like to get a very nice head unit along with good speakers even if i only get speakers for the doors. and possible get this sub with it now or in the future

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_777B8PT/Sound-Ordnance-B-8PT.html?tp=114

[edited by: plope at 4:35 PM (GMT -5) on Fri, Apr 6 2012]

You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available.

I made sure all 4 heads I compared and linked to have sub preamp outputs. Some may need to be switched from 'rear' to 'sub' in the setup menu, but they all have it. The price goes up significantly if you get a head with 6 way preouts, which I recommend getting, for future expansion, if needed. also, with 6 way preouts, you get alot more sub adjustability, usually. Things such as LPF, sub level, bass boost, phase shift, etc. I have the S/O powered 8" in the similar cab of a Ford Ranger, and I love it. Sorry, I thought your truck probably had the 4x10 speakers in the back like some GMC Sonomas of the same style. I would not worry with the 4x6's. The door speakers and the S/O sub is gonna be a huge improvement. Takes some tweaking to get just right, but I have lots of experience with it, and I'm not far away. 3 year warranty is nice, also. It should fit under your passenger seat, BTW.

GLH

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I would go with these slightly higher end Pioneers, not because they are 4-way, I actually prefer coaxial, but because they are slightly more sensitive and will handle a 50 watts RMS per channel amp if you ever decide to go that route later. If you know you will never amp the full range speakers, the 1674's are an excellent choice.

GLH

Im not seeing a filter option or feature called "crossover filter" Im not sure what you mean. And those speakers should work altho it outs me a little over $400. I could get away with getting them as long as everything i order comes with everything it needs to install and i dont need to buy anything else.

I really like this kenwood head unit, hopefully this will work for what i have picked out as well

Should be a nice head. It has highpass and lowpass crossover filters, which are preferable to use over most built in filters on an amp. It has 6 way RCA preamp outputs, in case of adding on later. I think you will be happy with this purchase after everything is setup and EQ'd to your liking. You will need an RCA patch cable long enough to go from the head to the amp/sub. Shouldn't be a big deal also to run new 18 gauge speaker wire from the rear speaker outs of the new head to the new door speakers. Although Crutchfield should include the wiring harness adaptors for the head and speakers, It is highly recommended to run new wire directly from the head to the speakers. This way you can use the same lenght wire on each side, and there will be minimum splices, only at the head and at the speakers. You will need the front speaker outs from the head if you decide to install new dash speakers. It won't affect the sub out in any way. You will just adjust the fader all the way rear for now. The highpass filter works equally for the front and rear speakers. You will likely start out with the lowpass filter on 85 hz for the sub and the highpass filter at 120 hz for the door speakers. We can cover all that later.

GLH

You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available.